02.13.07
Posted in Yoelson's posts, Our Photos at 3:55 pm by Yoelson
Chaucer and I were in a nostalgic mood this morning, so we enjoyed a trip down memory lane. Getting the rather heavy photo albums up onto the bed was hard work, but well worth it. We sat on the bed for hours, happily flicking through the pages of snaps taken over many years by Richard and Laura on our travels. I think our favourite album was the one which contained the photos of Italy. We loved our time there, although we didn’t like the journey much. It’s very uncomfortable being stuffed into a suitcase, and then thrown into the cargo hold of a plane by scary men, not to mention that it was absolutely freezing cold. It was a small price to pay for such a great trip though, and I’m sure if Richard and Laura knew we were alive just like them they would have been more than happy to book us a couple of seats inside the plane with them. We did have fun though in the cargo hold, we managed to get out of the suitcases and play with some other Teddy Bears, they had also been squashed into suitcases. It’s not easy being Teddy Bears, and it’s especially not easy being Teddy Bears who have real feelings. But we love our life, and we love Richard and Laura. We feel happy and safe with them, and maybe soon we will tell them we are alive!
A man who has not been to Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see. The grand object of travelling is to see the shores of the Mediterranean. Samuel Johnson
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02.04.07
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 2:14 pm by Chaucer
It’s Sunday, and we are feeling very lazy. This morning we made the most of the sun streaming in through the windows. Now it is dull, it looks like rain, which was bound to happen as Laura watered the plants yesterday. Not much else to do when we are feeling like this, so we are off for an afternoon nap.
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01.24.07
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 2:05 pm by Chaucer
Yesterday Laura was feeling energetic so to use up some of her energy she decided to do some more gardening. The day before she has pulled up lots of weeds and tidied up the terrace. So yesterday she finished off the terrace by giving the tiles a good scrubbing. Then she set to work on the car which was very dirty. As the car lives under a couple of trees it is usually covered in bird poo, nasty. Laura must be mad, because although the sun was out there was a very strong wind and it was bitterly cold. The cold weather didn’t seem to deter Laura and she covered the car in neat shampoo to try and loosen the bird droppings and tree sap. The car looked funny covered in thick white bubbles and the wind was blowing the soapy foam everywhere. Yoelson and I wanted to go outside and play with the bubbles, but we are not as mad as Laura, there was no way we were setting a paw outside the house. Once the car had been soaped and rubbed all over Laura persuaded Richard to drive across to the other side of the river to rinse the car. She could have rinsed the car at home but the water would have just sat under the car as there is nowhere for it to run away. On the other side of the river there is a water pipe for the locals to use when they spray their vines. It only took a few minutes to rinse the car, and although he got out initially Richard soon decided to wait inside the car in the warmth while Laura went crazy with the hose. Once back at home they ate their lunch, and not long after Richard and the sun went for a nap. With the sun gone and the sky darker it wasn’t long before we saw thick fluffy snowflakes falling from above. It looked so pretty, but not pretty enough for us to venture outside. We stayed in and watched as everything was covered in a think soft white blanket. This morning the sun is up from its nap and the snow has almost melted. Laura always says that she can predict the weather, when she cleans the windows, or washes the car, or waters the plants, she can guarantee it will rain, well this time she was wrong, it snowed.
Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into, the mind. ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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01.17.07
Posted in Yoelson's posts, Our Photos at 2:05 pm by Yoelson
We thought that everything might have calmed down today, we were wrong. This years Celebrity Big Brother is causing quite a lot of mixed emotions. Once again the race card is being played. It happens every year, yet each time it’s considered a first. Chaucer and I were watching the news on tv earlier this morning, and we couldn’t believe it when we saw CBB was being discussed on Prime Ministers Question Time. Surely this has gone far enough? People need to get some perspective. Channel 4 need to stop airing footage that is portraying Jade Goody in particular as a racist. We watch a lot of the live feed, but we don’t wish to comment on who said what and who did what. We do want to say that there are no victims in that house, no one housemate is behaving any better or worse than any other housemate. I can’t remember exactly how many, but I think I read somewhere that there are over 38 cameras filming in the house, 24 hours a day, every day. So why has Channel 4 decided to air the tiny minority of footage that has caused so much anger? Initially I suppose they were just doing the usual, hoping to increase the number of people watching the programme. But now it does seem to have spun out of control. We think it’s time for Channel 4 to air some of the footage which shows the housemates in a positive way. There is so much more positive footage than negative, but I guess that isn’t as good for the ratings. Every year there are a few housemates who complain that they were edited unfairly, what a crock. I appreciate that Channel 4 can and do edit the footage for their own purposes, but it is absolutely impossible for any of the housemates to be shown behaving badly because of editing, if they don’t behave badly in the first place. The cameras cannot film what hasn’t happened, if the people in the Big Brother house behave like civilsed adults then that’s how they will be seen by the viewing public. I just hope that all this alledged rasicm and bitching will take a back seat, and then maybe, just maybe we will be able to watch a programme that used to be entertaining, and unfortunately is now becoming a complete farce. Or better still, take it off the air, maybe that’s what the executives behind the scenes want? Maybe they don’t want to admit defeat by calling it a day, maybe they want to be told to STOP!
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01.11.07
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 9:42 am by Chaucer
Yesterday Laura cooked lunch for her and Richard. Richard usually does all of the cooking, but Laura said she will cook for them for the next few days.She made a delicious duck casserole. She had all of the ingredients chopped and in a large oven dish by 10am. She sliced lots of onions, which she sauted in duck fat, then she added rough chopped garlic, and last she added big chunks of carrot. She stirred this all for a few minutes before adding lots of sweetcorn, and Confit de Canard, and a litre of vegetable stock. After a quick stir to mix everything the dish went into the oven, where it bubbled away for several hours. Yoelson and I were beginning to feel our tummy’s rumble as the aroma flooded the kitchen. Laura served the duck with a potato and chestnut mash, and steamed brussel sprouts. Later when they weren’t looking Yoelson and I both had a small serving of the duck, it was delicious. Today, Laura is cooking again, a meat free dish, and Yoelson and I are going to cook a pasta dish. I hope we manage to get the kitchen clean and tidy again after we finish, don’t want Laura or Richard to notice anything.
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01.05.07
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 3:21 pm by Chaucer
Richard and Laura went out early this morning, and when they returned a few hours later the stray dog that they often feed was waiting to greet them. He was with another dog, she is often seen near here, she is not a stray she lives across the river. Laura and Richard had bought the dog some food, he usually gets leftovers, yesterday he had roast duck, but they wanted to get something just for him. He can be very fussy, but he thoroughly enjoyed what they bought him, which is good because there is lots more of it. It was a lovely warm morning, and after Laura and Richard unloaded the car they wedged the front door open and opened all of the front windows too. The sun was flooding the lounge with light and much appreciated warmth. The boy dog came in and sprawled on the floor for a power nap, the girl dog stood in the doorway watching. It was so lovely having the door and windows open, who would have thought it was January. It has got cooler now the sun has moved, and now everything is shut and the heating is on full blast, it was jolly nice while it lasted though.
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01.01.07
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 2:47 pm by Chaucer
Happy New Year.
What will this year bring? Lots of strong coffee for two naughty Teddy Bears. After that I know what we would like, for everyone to live a healthy, happy, peaceful life. Here’s hoping, well you never know, it could just happen. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone in the world had access to clean healthy water, at least one nutritious meal each day, and some form of protective shelter. That’s not really much to hope for is it, it is 2007 after all. There is no justifiable reason why people are without water, food and shelter. Unfortunately there are so many people who are without these basic things, things which many of us take for granted.We wish that the world leaders would for once show some humility and sort out these, easy to fix, problems. But that would mean them actually doing some good for a change, instead of starting illegal wars, which unfortunately are far more profitable. We think this new year should be a time of great changes in the world, but as we are slightly hungover from last night we will just concentrate our powers of positive thought on Britain for now, it’s all our brains can cope with. We would like for practically everything the government wants to do to be put to a referendum. Let the people make the final decision. After all, employees of the government work for us. We pay their wages, they should run our country as we would like it to be run. How much better would Britain be to live in, if this vision of the future was not just the dream of two hungover Teddy Bears, but a reality, we think it would be positively wonderful. It is ludicrous that the government can do what they want, and we (the majority of people) just obey like little sheep, they sure have got us programmed well haven’t they. How did it all happen, where did it all go so wrong, it really shouldn’t be this way, how did we end up being told what to do by the people who should be working to make our country the very best place to live for all of its citizens? This post was supposed to be a brief new years greeting, and as usual the wrongdoers of the world have got me moaning again. Anyway all this moaning aside, we are feeling very positive as we start the new year, but then we always do. Which is either due to being fortunate to live a wonderful life here in France, or the fact they we are crazy, or due to the alcohol consumption of last night. Whatever the reason, we love life, and are as ever very optimistic that 2007 will be a truly magical year ~ Happy New Year to all.
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12.22.06
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 4:25 pm by Chaucer
We love being in bed. We have a real struggle just to get up every morning, it’s so tempting to hide under the covers where it’s nice and warm. Lately we haven’t managed to get up in the mornings … it’s been way past lunch time by the time we venture from under the bed clothes. We have to arise in stages, gently easing ourselves into the day.
First we open our eyes but remain under the covers. Then we gently peer out over the covers, hoping that there will be at the very least a small ray of sunshine lighting up the bedroom. Lastly we have a good stretch before throwing off the covers and rushing into the bathroom, where we perform our daily ablutions.
Once we have begun the day in the most peaceful and gentle manor possible, we are happy to wander downstairs for the best cup of tea of the day. Why is it that the very first cup of tea of the day always seems to taste so much nicer than any of the ones that follow throughout the day?
Mmm, tea, time for a cup now, perfect.
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12.16.06
Posted in Chaucer's posts, Our Photos at 5:03 pm by Chaucer
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat,
We don’t celebrate Christmas, so that’s enough of that!
Richard and Laura don’t celebrate Christmas, neither do we. We are not religious, maybe if we were we would get into the Christmas spirit, although I know you don’t have to be religious to celebrate Christmas. For many people in Britain Christmas is a celebration of greed, gluttony, and inebriation. We think this is great, if that’s what makes them happy, or should that be Merry? Maybe Christmas has always been like this, but wasn’t it once a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ? Or did that event occur sometime in May? I’m too tired for a theological debate. I am happy we are living in France because Christmas has apparently been cancelled in Britain. Here in our area of France Christmas doesn’t seem so commercial as in Britain. Although over the few years we have lived here we have noticed it getting more and more like Britain. What a shame, France will follow Britain as Britain has followed America (in too many things, which is another topic). In Britain it is not politcally correct to call ‘Christmas lights’ by that name, now they are ‘Festive lights’, you must be careful not so wish anyone a “Merry Christmas”, incase you offend ethnic monorities, you can say “Seasons Greetings”. It’s all crazy, the British press are blaming the Muslims for the demise of Christmas. I am not naive in thinking that there are not some who would like to abolish Christmas. However the majority of decent, hard working, Muslims in Britain are more than happy for others to celebrate Christmas, (aren’t they?), complete with Christmas Lights, Red Father Christmas Hats, Mince Pies, and the usual orgy of debauchery that makes a typical British Christmas. Maybe the people who feel that Chritmas is being eradicated should concern themselves less with the consumerism of it all, and remember the religious context of Christmas. I hope Christmas is always celebrated in Britain without compromise. Britain should not pander to ethnic minorities, they should appreciate and embrace living in a wonderfully culturally diverse country which allows everyone religious freedom. After all no one is forced to live in Britain. If you don’t like living in Britain ~ leave. Britain is a Christian country, The Queen, The Head of State, is a Christian. Christian beliefs, holidays, and celebrations, should and must surely come first. The majority of people in Britain identify themselves as Christian, 72% of them. But the U.K. has one of the lowest levels of public worship attendance in the world, apparently less than 8% attend any form of regular worship. This isn’t necessarily significant, I don’t think you need to go to church to be a good Christian, a building where you pray once a week doesn’t make you a better Christian than someone who chooses to worship outside of the church. The one thing we do like about Christmas in Britain is the fact that people everywhere seem to be so much nicer to each other, it’s just a shame people can’t behave like that every day of the year. Stop trying to hurt and/or kill each other, why can’t people just be nice? Considering we are Teddy Bears who are not religious, I do seem to have rambled on with all this religious stuff for longer than I intended. It’s all crap, but I won’t bother hitting delete, I need something to post today. So much for the Christmas Spirit. The only spirit we are interested in is Vodka, and Gin, and Pastis. Pastis is very popular in our local area. Absinthe was banned in France in 1915, so Pernod, and Ricard (the major producers now merged as Pernod Ricard) reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) component. With a new recipe focusing on the heavier aniseed flavour from star anise, sweetness from sugar, and a lower alcohol content, Pastis was born. The most popular way to drink Pastis here is with cold spring water. We like the way the water changes the colour of the Pastis, from a dark clear yellow to a creamy milky soft yellow, it’s yummy. Right, I have a headache from staring at the computer for so long, so no Pastis for me, a lovely cup of tea will do nicely.
Cheers, and a very Happy and Merry Christmas to all of the God botherers and Heathens alike!
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12.11.06
Posted in Yoelson's posts, Our Photos at 2:51 pm by Yoelson
Chaucer and I have been rather naughty, we got tipsy. We spent most of this morning sitting by a window in the lounge relaxing. We were drinking lovely cold pints of beer, and the Euro Top 20 on MTV was on in the background. The gloriously warm sun was streaming in through the window. We were enjoying the Euro Top 20 so much that we didn’t realise quite how many pints of beer we had drunk. The songs we enjoyed the most were, Lily Allen~LDN, All Saints~Rock Steady, Christina Aguilera~Hurt, Sugababes~Easy, The Killers~When You Were Young, Justin Timberlake~Sexyback (Re Edit), Scissor Sisters~I Don’t Feel Like Dancing, Nelly Furtado~Promiscuous, and another Justin Timberlake ~ My Love. Unsurprisingly after a while we both began feeling a little worse for wear. Maybe this will teach us a valuable lesson about the demon drink, but I doubt it will be the last time we over indulge. Thankfully we managed to find some sunglasses to shield our eyes from the bright sunshine, and we didn’t want anyone to see us so drunk. I’m not looking forward to the hangover that is sure to follow this bout of drinking. Hopefully a good long afternoon nap will make us feel much better. A nap and a couple of large glasses of water, which I will get for us now before we go to bed.
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